The Chiefs’ Nakamal in Port Vila, Vanuatu – the scene of closed-door meetings.

The West Papuan reconciliation and unification conference being hosted in Port Vila for the different separatist groups from West Papua has gone into stealth mode as the delegates have barricaded themselves in the Chiefs’ Nakamal to deliberate and make recommendations for a way forward.

No member of the local media or public have been allowed entry into the Nakamal.

These restrictions are a precautionary measure to avoid Indonesian spies infiltrating the meetings.

The various groups represented in the closed-door meetings are here to find common grounds on which they can be allowed member status into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), a regional body that supports the interests of Melanesians.

Indonesia, West Papua’s current colonizer, has been granted “observer” status in the MSG while West Papuans have so far been denied representation. The main speculation regarding this would be due to the…

Axiom Mining has won a David versus Goliath battle in the Solomon Islands High Court with Axiom triumphing over Sumitomo’s claims.

The High Court dismissed Sumitomo’s claims, finding “the proceedings have been shown to be an abuse of the court’s process.

Axiom shares are expected to climb.

The High Court discharged Sumitomo’s injunction preventing Axiom’s exploration or mining activities. It also placed a continuing permanent injunction restraining Sumitomo from interfering with Axiom’s business activities in Solomon Islands.

The company is targeting to start a direct shipping ore operation within the next 12 to 18 months.

Landowning tribes of the now closed Gold Ridge gold mine in Solomon Islands say they are about to receive a final royalty payment of 1.2 million US dollars through the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

The Chairman of the Gold Ridge Community and Land Owners Council, Dick Douglas, confirmed the payment is being processed and says it will be distributed to the 16 tribal groups soon.

He says the payment may be the last one for a while and is calling on the various tribes to put their money into investments.

“That is the, the last payment of the royalty and this is the warning that I have also made to the members of the council and the tribes that we have to use it wisely and manage it wisely so that we can get…

Francis Ona died in May 2005. He was an inspiration to many, Francis stood up against Rio Tinto, the Australian government and PNG in order to secure a way of life free from exploitation by foreigners. Only by securing the land and environment, could Bougainville regain the harmony and balance that has been its rudder throughout the ages.

One thing that really angered those who conspired against Francis was that he evaded the PNGDF bullets. And as a result, his towering figure remained a major barrier to the recolonisation of Bougainville by Rio Tinto and its collection of political clowns.

When he died, we were TOLD it was natural, we were TOLD that it was malaria. There was no autopsy, and no more questions were asked.

Interesting at the very same time Rio Tinto suddenly reversed its position on mining on…

It was 5:30 in the afternoon and we were running as fast as physically possible up the side of a mountain, deep in the forest of West Papua. ‘Come on, come on!’ I yelled, almost to myself as I lost my footing in the mud. The local boys chattered to each other in Bahasa; I was sure they were saying something like, ‘What the fuck is this crazy white guy doing running us through the forest like this?’

I could see it about to happen, the golden dappled dance of sun squeezing between green leaves was a giveaway. Soon white clouds would be bleeding red and the blue sky would bruise with it. Mr Sugiono lowered his machete and stared at my sweat-drenched face. ‘Ok?’ He pointed over Wijaya Sentosa and I followed his gaze. ‘A little further?’ I asked. It was starting…